Retaining black belt status

[trekmann]

At the dojo where I train there is a young female student who is a two stripe Green Belt that is just below Brown belt. She has returned after a long absence and cannot remember most of her Kata's. I am only a Yellow belt but she said she was scared to perform Kumite with me as I "Hurt too much"

 

My opinion is that this advanced student should not maintain her rank if she cannot execute basic techniques and Kata's at the level expected of her by her peers.

[White Warlock]

My opinion is that this advanced student should not maintain her rank if she cannot execute basic techniques and Kata's at the level expected of her by her peers

My opinion is that it is for the instructor to decide whether she should maintain the belt he gave her, and if she received her belt somewhere else, it is still the instructor's decision whether she should be allowed to wear that belt in his school.

 

Were i the instructor, and a yellow belt came up to me questioning the qualifications of a higher ranking student, i would demote him to white belt for a day, just to make it clear 'who' decides what rank a student wears in my school.

 

Basically, politics and questioning of rank receipts doesn't belong in a dojo and the best way to discourage it, is to remind them that it is not a democracy.

[ramymensa]

My opinion is that this advanced student should not maintain her rank if she cannot execute basic techniques and Kata's at the level expected of her by her peers.

 

Have something in mind: a higher rank, even if out of shape can easily regain the qualities lost during the absence. Is like a foreign language. You haven't spoken it for a while but can always remember and relearn. And indeed it's for the instructor to decide.

 

Regarding to the "hurt too much" matter ... beginners tend to hit hard, because they haven't got the necessary control. Wait to become a high rank and you'll be more controlled. It comes with the time

 

I am a higher rank and try to be as "gentle" as possible. In contest, it doesn't matter, but in dojo i'm with my friends and sparr lightly. If we are interested in something harder, then we do it, but with mutual agreement.

[trekmann]

Point taken. I certainly do not have full control over my kicks and punches at this time

[fireka]

well now this technically goes two ways. I know an instructor in Isshinryu down in SC that lets students coming from different schools to wear what theve earned.

 

qoute: "I can't exactly suck the knoladge out of the're heads can I? I won't let them line up with there rank till they have earned it in my class, but thats just the way I operate." unqoute.

[ramymensa]

Point taken. I certainly do not have full control over my kicks and punches at this time

see?

 

The time will come (and it's not that far) when you'll gain that control and get quite upset if your partener hits like a maniac when you don't feel like breaking bones. Sometimes hard techniques are required and it's better to have the other's consent. There are also times when you just want to aply the techniqe in a lighter way, to study it and all it's particularities.

 

It depends on the situation. It's also good to be able to get from light to hard contact and vice-versa

[Guest]

My opinion is that this advanced student should not maintain her rank if she cannot execute basic techniques and Kata's at the level expected of her by her peers.

 

Instead of humiliating the student by stripping their rank because they're rusty, why don't you simply do nothing? Let them keep their rank. Give the student no special consideration aside from the extra attention they may need to get back up to speed. The standards for their next promotion remain, so they will be forced to step up their game lest remain at their present rank forever. Once they aquire their next promotion, they should be up to snuff with the rest of the brown belts.

[Thruhiker]

This is most definitely a touchy subject. If an individual earned his/her bb 15 years ago and that individual had to defend themselves against an attacker and the attacker was killed and the prosecuting attorney found that s/he was a bb do you think they would hold that against this individual even though they earned it 15 yrs ago? Even though this individual hasn't practiced MA in those 15 yrs.

 

On the World Heavy weight (WH) subject. The individual that won the WH can never be stripped of that title. Once it has been earned it can't be lost. Yes the trophy (belt) is lost but not the status. Once an individual has EARNED a bb they can't be stripped from it by going AWOL.

 

Yes the individual should practice and get up to speed before they are allowed to test for their next rank. Doing their time isn't the only requirement for earning their rank. The person must be able to perform fluidly all the requirements necessary for their next rank!!